Cheese which dates back to ancient times is an important part of our daily
diet. Cheese constitutes 13% of the registered consumption of milk and dairy products
worldwide. Our country has a rich variety in terms of both regional cheeses and
industrial cheeses. Many traditional cheeses are produced in the Eastern Anatolia
Region. The name of some cheeses produced in the region varies according to the
locality. Erzincan Tulum cheese, which is commonly produced in Erzincan, Erzurum,
Elazığ, Tunceli and Bingöl, is also called Şavak Cheese. One of the traditional cheeses
produced in the region is Kars Kashar Cheese. Also, in recent years, the production of
Gravyer Cheese in Kars and Ardahan provinces has become widespread. Various
plants grown in the Eastern Anatolia Region are used in the traditional cheese
production. The first ones of these cheeses are Herby Cheese and Cacik Cheese.
Approximately, 70-80% of Herby Cheese is produced in Van. This cheese is called
Van Herby cheese. Another traditional cheese produced in Eastern Anatolia Region is
Civil cheese which is widely produced in Erzurum. This cheese plays an important role
in the formation of taste and aroma of green mould cheese that develops during
ripening. Identification, classification and standardization of the characteristics of
traditional cheeses produced in the Eastern Anatolian Region and production
technologies play an important role in the introduction of these products. For this
purpose, production methods, physical and chemical properties of traditional cheeses
produced in Eastern Anatolia Region have been compiled in this section.
Keywords: Cacik Cheese, Civil cheese, Chemical Properties, Eastern Anatolia
Region, Gravyer Cheese, Herby Cheese, Kars Kashar Cheese, Microbiological
Properties, Physical Properties, Production Methods, Traditional Cheese, Tulum
Cheese, Şavak Cheese, Turkey.
